David Robson - Is Bodybuilding A Deviant Sport?

[webmaster]

This article will review, and critique heavily, these findings and present a more balanced model, that puts bodybuilding in a more favorable light.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson16.htm

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[BCDOHS]

Ummmmmmmm.......... Let's see. I only care about appearence. Judges aren't going to ask me to actually DO anything with these muscles. I wear rediculous clothes(especially for my FLEX photoshoot). I flex my muscles in the mirror at the "gym", as if I cn see them grow daily. I take steriods, spending thousands of dollars, and risking my health(going against the principles of those who pioneered the "sport").It's a beauty contest, not much different than Miss America or the Westminster dog show. Ever see the movie "best of show"?

[The StaLLioN]

This article is very poorly put together and after reading it I was more inclined to side with the assertions that went against his argument. Robson didn't really have any strong points to dismiss bodybuilding as a deviant sport. He also seems to disregard the thick line separating recreational "bodybuilders" from hardcore bodybuilders and groups them all into one category to support his argument that bodybuilding is not a deviant sport.

[Bubo]

Why do I think that this guy Klein is a little penciled necked geek that got his girlfriend taken away by a casual bodybuilder? As I was reading the article, the image of a little insecure dope staring at everyone’s butt as he went from gym to gym, trying desperately to conceal the semi-wood that was starting to sprout out if his shorts as he bumped into some female bodybuilder that threatened to bitch slap the little creep, made me almost laugh out load. Maybe I should keep my opinion to myself before I get accused of having a problem with my masculinity?

Overall I think this is one of the best articles I have read so far. For no other reason than I feel that the question of "Is Bodybuilding a Deviant Sport?" a dam good question, that's why, and its one that anybody who is really busting their ass in gym will have to face sooner or later.

My answer for "Is Bodybuilding a Deviant Sport?" is:

You bet yo ass it is! Name a sport that isn't?
Can all sports that push the limits of what human beings can do be considered deviant.
Should we list all the negatives in mountaineering or strongman?
Or how about any Olympic sport? Like, what are the strange psychological factors that want to make people want to risk their lives trying to bet the current time for the mile?
Even golf and tennis is not off limits to psychological mumbo jumbo like this.

Forget about bodybuilding, what about Boxing!
"I want to eat his kids", Mike Tyson! Waaaaaaaaa!
Lets not even get into that!

Do some body builders have inferiority complexes? Of course some do.
And are some bodybuilders egomaniacs? Of course there are.
Also, are some boxers sadomasochist psychopaths? Yup
And do some grandmasters of chess get a rush of dominance from mentally demolishing an opponent? Say it aint so!

Face it, if you push the limits of what other people think human beings are supposed to do, you will from time to time be labeled as a freak or a deviant.

[BCDOHS]

Originally posted by Bubo
Why do I think that this guy Klein is a little penciled necked geek that got his girlfriend taken away by a casual bodybuilder? As I was reading the article, the image of a little insecure dope staring at everyone’s butt as he went from gym to gym, trying desperately to conceal the semi-wood that was starting to sprout out if his shorts as he bumped into some female bodybuilder that threatened to bitch slap the little creep, made me almost laugh out load. Maybe I should keep my opinion to myself before I get accused of having a problem with my masculinity?

Overall I think this is one of the best articles I have read so far. For no other reason than I feel that the question of "Is Bodybuilding a Deviant Sport?" a dam good question, that's why, and its one that anybody who is really busting their ass in gym will have to face sooner or later.

My answer for "Is Bodybuilding a Deviant Sport?" is:

You bet yo ass it is! Name a sport that isn't?
Can all sports that push the limits of what human beings can do be considered deviant.
Should we list all the negatives in mountaineering or strongman?
Or how about any Olympic sport? Like, what are the strange psychological factors that want to make people want to risk their lives trying to bet the current time for the mile?
Even golf and tennis is not off limits to psychological mumbo jumbo like this.

Forget about bodybuilding, what about Boxing!
"I want to eat his kids", Mike Tyson! Waaaaaaaaa!
Lets not even get into that!

Do some body builders have inferiority complexes? Of course some do.
And are some bodybuilders egomaniacs? Of course there are.
Also, are some boxers sadomasochist psychopaths? Yup
And do some grandmasters of chess get a rush of dominance from mentally demolishing an opponent? Say it aint so!

Face it, if you push the limits of what other people think human beings are supposed to do, you will from time to time be labeled as a freak or a deviant.

You're missing the point. Sport is to enrich our lives, not cover up insecurities. Most competitive boxers cannot be labeled like Tyson. Would you put Ali and Foreman in that catagory? How about Leonard??

Competitive bbing is frowned upon because it is soooooooo narcisistic. Look at me, LOOK at ME!!!

[Bubo]

Originally posted by BCDOHS
You're missing the point. Sport is to enrich our lives, not cover up insecurities. Most competitive boxers cannot be labeled like Tyson. Would you put Ali and Foreman in that catagory? How about Leonard??

Competitive bbing is frowned upon because it is soooooooo narcisistic. Look at me, LOOK at ME!!!

BCDOHS! Plug in Brain

Alan Klein simply promoted the negative aspects of bodybuilding. Which there are. No Duh! Vat unt Einstein.

My point is that all sports that push the limits of what human beings can do will have negative aspects about them.

I would like to ask you an obvious question, since you are posting on a bodybuilding site, don't you feel that the positive aspects of bodybuilding out weigh the negative ones?

And if you don't feel that the positive ones out weigh the negative ones, just what the hell are you doing here?

Since there are a ton of other sports to do, choose one that you feel good about doing.

And give it hell.

[The StaLLioN]

^ So after knocking Klein you agree w/him by saying Bodybuilding is a deviant sport.

[Bubo]

Originally posted by The StaLLioN
^ So after knocking Klein you agree w/him by saying Bodybuilding is a deviant sport.

Huh? And Double Huh?

If you look at the negative sides of any sport, you could make a case for it to be deviant.

An unfortunate but perfect example is the resent accident on Mount Rainer.

http://data2.itc.nps.gov/digest/head...idents&id=1230

After reading this couldn't I say that mountaineering is a deviant sport?

The climber that died did leave behind a wife and kids?

What kind of psycho mumbo jumbo could I now say about mountaineering?

My objection to Klein's analyzes was that he took obvious negative aspects of bodybuilding and used them to justify bodybuilding as being deviant. Can obvious negative aspects that are in other sports also be used for the same theory? Of course they can.

Now do I think that bodybuilding is a deviant sport? What are you nuts!

I think Klein is so far off the mark I wonder if he really went a gym.

Not only are there so many positive physical and psychological benefits from bodybuilding that to ignore them is a complete admission of stupidity, but the amount of self criticism that bodybuilding demands people to have is painfully and brutally honest.

This brutal honestly is one of my favorite aspects about bodybuilding.
You can see this in every article written and issue surrounding the sport.

The best example of this honesty is how Pro Bodybuilding deals with steroids.

You know dam full well that all other pro sports use steroids.
They are swept under the rug. Done in hush hush mode.
But not Pro Bodybuilding.
This is characteristic of the sport.
Get it out in open, see it for what it is and then deal with it.

There are a lot others but the length of this post is even making me sick.

[lucubration]

The Gym is my Prozac; I shall not want.
The Gym maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
The Gym leadeth me beside the still waters.

The Gym restoreth my soul:
The Gym leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the lazy worthless bastards;
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy straight bar and thy dumbbells they comfort me.

by
“Bubo”

[BCDOHS]

If the great majority of the public are appaulled by the physiques of pro bbers, then I think it's safe to say it IS deviant.

[lucubration]

Originally posted by BCDOHS
If the great majority of the public are appaulled by the physiques of pro bbers, then I think it's safe to say it IS deviant.

but aren't most appalled by their own physiques as well?

[Pro Bob Chick]

BCDOHS-

Why do you continue to post on a Bodybuilding website when it's obvious that you don't like Bodybuilding????

Move on to something you can be good at.....

[BCDOHS]

Originally posted by BOB CHICK
BCDOHS-

Why do you continue to post on a Bodybuilding website when it's obvious that you don't like Bodybuilding????

Move on to something you can be good at.....

I might say the same to you Bob.

[Bubo]

Originally posted by lucubration
but aren't most appalled by their own physiques as well?

^ That was Totally Excellent!


Most people are appalled at rock climbers soloing El Cap in Yosemite National Park.
But yet a lot of people love to watch that extreme stuff.

Most people find car crashes a terrible thing, but NASCAR is right up there.

Most people don't like to watch somebody get their head bashed in, but the Super Bowl is the most watched event on TV.

What some people find deviant others fall in love with.

At lest that's what my girlfriend tells me.

[TonyPessegueiro]

Originally posted by lucubration
but aren't most appalled by their own physiques as well?

Tou-phuckin-ché!

[BCDOHS]

Originally posted by Bubo
^ That was Totally Excellent!


Most people are appalled at rock climbers soloing El Cap in Yosemite National Park.
But yet a lot of people love to watch that extreme stuff.

Most people find car crashes a terrible thing, but NASCAR is right up there.

Most people don't like to watch somebody get their head bashed in, but the Super Bowl is the most watched event on TV.

.

You're logic is faulty. According to you, then, the Olympia should be popular with the public. It isn't.

[monolithdigital]

This entire premise is a moot point. If you take any sub culture in society, there are going to be deviants, the only difference is the specific qualities therein.

Also. I work out immensely, and this is not a sport. At least not more then painting or sculpting is a sport, since you are simply put, in the real of creating something through action, that is the extention of the human form. And moreso, differs in the sense that it is vanity, but so is personnal grooming.

So for everyone who has insecurities, and assume bodybuilders have the same ones, that may be true, but concider this. Natual bodies dont have large muscles, natural bodies also have facial hair, a shaggy mane, reek of bodyodour, and have long nails. lifting weight and eating right are only extentions of personal hygene.

And for a little digression, from the structure alone that people get from the act of bodybuilding, it is a great character builder, and more people should do it for that fact alone. Or stop bathing, cutting your hair and shaving. No sense playing that opinion half assed.

[deadst73]

As someone that has studied sociology most of these researchers got thangs all wrong. Did any of them atempt to bodybuild or did thy just observe? Something that they do not discuss is the personality types? Being that this is a long term sport that one person works so hard during a year to look their very best for just a few weeks, a certin type of personality is required. You have to be focused, and in leaning down times you just simply do not have the energy to go to parties. The focus has to be intense for many. You will see the same with many engineers, truck drivers. They can do jobs that many more sociolable people have a had time doing. However many of these bodybuilders, truckdrivers and engineers are in fact smart, they just have a trait may make them not speak up. But when they do they will bring up execellant ideas. The trick is being able to be more vocal and when they do watch up they will achieve any thing they set their minds to. That is why we have seen many of them be sucessful later on in life. Opening their own gyms, product lines and even becoming governors.

[SalimS.]

Good topic